


if only raincoats were invented already

by neworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Cold, Magic Revealed, Sick Character, Sick Merlin (Merlin), Sneezing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23127301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neworld/pseuds/neworld
Summary: Merlin get's sick from being all cold and wet and overworked and loses control of his magic.  I wrote this so long ago but I was too scared to post stuff on the internet back then!
Comments: 13
Kudos: 231





	if only raincoats were invented already

It was raining in the forest. A thick mist covered the ground like a blanket. Trees loomed up through the veil of fog and rain. The branches were bare and stark against the white sky. It was early winter, there was little snow yet, just freezing rain and the air was so saturated, so heavy with vapor it seamed to weep. The forest was clearly preparing for snow, all the colour and life seemed to have bled away, leaving only grey and brown and white. Apart from the rain the forest was still and quiet.

A small party or horses trudged through the gloomy forest, their heads down and tails twitching, irritable but resigned. Their riders shared the sentiment, though at least they were out of the mud. They were a small patrol group from Camelot on a routine border check. These things were normally tedious but uneventful, simply checking that no one was crossing the border without permission and that no bandits were plaguing the trade roads into the kingdom.

So far there had been nothing untoward and the patrol was heading home. They rode in a single line, as the muddy path was too narrow for anything else. The prince road first, he did not complain about the weather, despite the fact he was accustomed to privilege and comfort he had been on these patrols since the age of 14 and was hardened to the difficulties. Besides, Merlin usually seemed to think complaining was his job. 

Merlin rode directly behind Arthur. He normally kept up a steady stream of whining that made Arthur snap at him or tease him, and led to them into bickering and bantering like a pair of old friends or a long married couple. But today Merlin was quiet. He was actually pretty miserable and felt like complaining, but his throat was sore, and he didn’t have the energy for banter today. 

The servant was not dressed for the weather. The knights all had thick clothing and water resistant cloaks, but Merlin only had his regular tunic and brown leather jacket. He was soaked through and had been for hours. He hadn’t been properly dry for days, not since this fine, misty rain had started. Occasionally the weak sun would break through, but the rain, though light was so frequent it was impossible to dry his saturated clothes. 

Sir Leon road behind Merlin, as first knight he really should have been behind his prince but no one, least of all Leon had the heart to kick Merlin to the back of the line were he belonged. For one thing Leon liked Merlin, he was just so guileless and friendly. Reprimanding him for not understanding court etiquette felt a bit like kicking a puppy for chewing up furniture. Also, Merlin was Arthur’s friend, though the prince may not openly realize this, it was clear from the way they were with each other that Arthur and Merlin were close friends. Leon had known Arthur his entire life and he doubted the prince had ever had a friend before, at least, not a true friend that liked him for who he was, not because he was the prince. 

Behind him rode Sir Robin, Leon’s former squire who was now a knight. Leon was very fond of the young man. Robin was the son of a noble family that had fallen on hard times. Nobody but Leon knew this, for Robin was deeply ashamed. His father had gambled away the family’s wealth, leaving his 2 daughters and 2 sons with a name alone. Robin supported his siblings and cared for them very much. They were only young but one day they would be able to marry into good families and be provided for and safe. Being a knight of Camelot was a respected position, no one need ever know his family’s shame if he was diligent and careful.

Behind Sir Robin rode Sir Ewain, the knight who had come back from the dead. Ewain had been bitten by a magical snake during a tournament. Gaius had prepared an antidote and saved him only to nearly lose him when the snake struck again. Gaius had declared him dead, but later, when his body was being cleaned for burial the maid preparing him noticed his eyelids move. She had screamed and called for Gaius. It turned out that the venom had lowered his heart rate and breathing so much that he had all the appearances of death. With many repeated doses of antidote the healer slowly coaxed Sir Ewain back to health. It was too late for him to really have been any use in stopping Valient, who was already long dead by the time Ewain recovered.

Last in line was Sir Bedavier, he was a quiet, unimaginative person who spoke little. He was probably the happiest man in the patrol as he hated socializing and the stifling tradition of court. He was happiest out in the forest, thinking only of his surroundings. Though even he was a bit sick of the rain.

It had been a long morning of riding in the rain. They were aiming for an area in the forest they usually stopped at on the way back to the castle. A clearing of sorts in that four massive oaks grew together, so large they dominated the canopy and no bushes survived under them. The branches were so dense and thick they would offer some small cover from the rain, even without leaves. They also marked the point in the trail that they were a days ride from Camelot, provided the weather wasn’t too rough and they were not waylaid or forced off course. 

Arthur kept looking up at the grey, misty sky, trying to glimpse the large oak above the other trees. He saw nothing but the thick wet mist, so it was somewhat of a surprise when he burst through the trees and into the clearing.

“Phew, about time.” Merlin grumbled behind him as his horse also slopped into the clearing. 

Arthur flicked him a brief, stop your whining, look and dismounted. He led his horse closer to the large trunk. Under the oaks the rain was much thinner, but the drops were bigger as they had to collect on the branches before being hitting the ground. This was a definite improvement but still pretty dreary. 

The prince hitched his horse to a low branch for Merlin to attend too. The other knights joined him. Usually they would have a squire to care for the horses, but both Bedavier and Ewain’s squires were ill with a minor sickness that had been making the rounds in the castle. Leon had not replaced Robin and Robin had not yet gained his first squire. Arthur’s squires rarely lasted for than a few months. Now that Arthur had found a servant, he liked he was, if anything, harder on the squires. Mainly because he unfavorably compared them to Merlin, if Merlin, an untrained, peasant from the country could do the job and still manage to be amusing and not a sniveling little boot-licker, then surely a young man from a noble family, who’d had every opportunity in life, should surpass Merlin. But they didn’t and he quickly got frustrated with them and sent them away.

What this amounted to was that Merlin had been caring for all the horses and doing all the cooking and cleaning. He was exhausted. This had been a more taxing patrol than usual even though it had, so far, been uneventful. He gave each of the horses feed bags and checked their gear, making sure they weren’t developing any saddle sores. Merlin felt a strong empathy with the horses, they were beasts of burden like himself. He hated to think a horse would be in any unnecessary pain due to his neglect. He checked their feet as well, getting himself even more wet and muddy in the process.

“Merlin once you’ve finished writhing around in the mud perhaps you can get us some rations?” The prince snarked at him. 

Merlin scowled at Arthur.

“Let me just fill the water skins then I’ll have a quick look around. I bet there are morels growing around here with these great oaks.”

Arthur looked interested at this.   
“Can morels be eaten raw? You can’t start a fire in this.” 

“You can’t.” Merlin grinned at him, gathering the water skins and stalking off towards the sound of the river.

He found it easily enough and filled the skins. It seemed absurd that in the midst of so much rain they would need to carry water, but getting wet was one thing, having clean water to drink was another. The river was swollen and fast. Merlin balanced cautiously on the slippery rocks, and was very careful not to fall in. He found a stretch of river with a gentler slope. Once he had filled the skins he did his best to clean the mud off himself. His clothes were saturated and clung to him unpleasantly.

Merlin’s nose tickled and he sneezed several times then groaned in annoyance. He knew he was catching cold the moment he woke up that morning but the sneezes seemed to confirm it. 

As Merlin gathered up the water skins again he noticed he was surrounded by bright new grass. It stood out so starkly against the drab mud Merlin was surprised he hadn’t noticed it before. He walked back to the clearing and handed out the skins. Then he began to wonder around the clearing looking for mushrooms. He didn’t find any, and had just decided it was too late in the season and that he should give up when his nose tickled again.

Merlin scrubbed at it irritably with his sleeve but there was nothing for it, his breath hitched and he sneezed another six times. When he opened is eyes again he saw he was surrounded by morels. 

Merlin jumped and looked around frantically, they had NOT been there before. The knights, he saw, were a yard away, huddled together in a small circle. He examined a morel more closely. The mushroom seemed no different then any other he had ever found. Its spongy, lacy cap and sturdy stem were solid and real. He picked it and turned it over in curiously, nothing seemed wrong, just an ordinary mushroom. Maybe he had been mistaken...

Merlin gathered the mushrooms, using the bottom of his tunic as a sack. As he bent to pick a large one that was growing a bit away from the others he suddenly sneezed again. Immediately six new mushrooms pushed their way up through the drenched soil. Merlin watched their eerily fast growth. He waited, for more to grow wondering if these massive trees were magic. But nothing happened.

Merlin shivered and sneezed again. A fresh group of mushrooms emerged around him. Merlin swallowed thickly. Surely it couldn’t be him? He was in control of his magic these days, he had to be or he would be found out and most likely killed. He needed to test his theory but even though his nose still itched and tingled he couldn’t get himself to sneeze again. Frustrated he trudged back over to Arthur and the knights. 

“What took you so long Merlin?” Arthur grouched. Merlin answered him by dumping his load of mushrooms carefully onto a large tree root, up out of the mud. Arthur and the knights brightened at the sight, they had been eating nothing but dried meat and soggy bread for days.

“Well I’m still doubtful even you can get a fire going in the rain.” Arthur pointed out. 

“Ah but I have a secret weapon.” Merlin told him, pulling a small flask out from his jacket.

“What is that?” Arthur asked, curious as Merlin poured a clear liquid over the soaked firewood he had set up earlier.

“Pure white spirits.” Merlin told Arthur, taking a flint he set sparks to the wood and quickly jumped back as the fire flared.

“It burns and dries the wood then the wood can catch.” Merlin explained. He didn’t add that he had magically strengthened the fluids flammability as alcohol burned with a cool flame.

“I see, did Gaius show you that?” Arthur asked, intrigued.

“Yes, he actually has me carrying the spirits to clean wounds with, but it works well for this too.”

Arthur was unsure if he should reprimand Merlin for squandering medical supplies to light a campfire. But then he smelt the cooking mushrooms and decided the fire had really been a necessity and Merlin was quite right to start it however he could.

After they ate the mushrooms they sat around the fire, trying to keep it going for a bit. They knew they should press on but they were enjoying the warmth of the fire so much they were all loath to leave it.

“How old do you think these trees are?” Sir Robin mused, looking sleepily up at the twisted canopy of the massive oak they sheltered under.

“My father told me they have been here for longer than men have been living in the world.” Sir Leon told the younger knight. “He was a historian, like Geoffry of Mormont.”

“Oh, that must be an interest...huh..ting hhh job hhhh....itchshhh!” Merlin sneezed before he even had time to worry about his earlier suspicion. As soon as he did more mushrooms squeezed up out of the mud, unfurling their caps with unnatural speed. It was beautiful really. Merlin stayed with his hands clamped over his mouth, eyeing the mushrooms with dismay. But Leon didn’t notice.

“Bless you.” He said absently. “Being a historian is a fascinating job, and something I may look at doing one day, when I’m too old to be a knight.” 

Merlin looked around the fire. All the knights were looking up at the twisting branches of the oak, no one had noticed the mushrooms. Merlin sighed in relief but this seemed to trigger another sneeze.

More mushrooms bloomed, this time yellow and poisonous looking. Another sneeze added vivid green grass to spring up from the mud and lacy moss, lichen and tiny ferns to unfurl along the tree roots. Merlin swallowed thickly in fear, there was no way they would miss this, what to do?

“Bless.” Sir Ewan glanced over at the servant as he blessed him and saw Merlin was surrounded by vibrant growth. He gave a cry of surprise and jumped up. This drew the attention of all the knights.

They knights all gaped at Merlin’s little patch of spring in wonder and alarm.  
Merlin shuffled awkwardly under their gaze. He wasn’t sure what to do, should he pretend he was amazed and surprised too?

“Merlin how did this happen? Did you see?” Arthur asked, prodding at a mushroom with his boot.

“See what?” Merlin asked, feigning confusion to give himself time to think.

“Are you blind?” Arthur asked, incredulous.

“It must be sorcery.” Sir Bedevier gasped pulling out his sword and looking around wildly.

“How could you not notice grass and mushrooms magically growing around you Merlin?” Arthur ranted.

“Oh that.” Merlin sniffled as his nose started running. “I thought ...sniff... it was just ...Sniff...SNIFF... one of those odd things about this forest. You know like how there was a ..sniff... unicorn that time, and the giant scorpions that kill you...atchooo!” As Merlin sneezed snow-bells emerged from the mud and their white flowers opened like tiny umbrellas.

Arthur, who was just about to make some comment about Merlin’s idiocy was left with his mouth hanging open in surprise. Merlin sneezed again and daffodils joined the snow-bells.

“Are you...?” Arthur began but was interrupted when Merlin sneezed again and bluebells burst up to add some purple. 

Leon, Robin and Ewain all drew their swords and circled Merlin.

“Are you doing this?” Arthur asked, confused and angry. Merlin was trying hard to stop sneezing but it was out of his control. Above them the oak grew fresh green leaves that blocked more of the rain, the flowers and grass crept outwards from Merlin in a rough circle, spreading towards the knights.

“Perhaps it’s some kind of curse?” Leon said hesitantly, lowering his sword a little. Merlin wondered if this was a good cover. Being cursed sounded just as likely to get him executed if previous experience was anything to go by.

Arthur noticed the rest of the knights had their swords raised. He looked at Merlin who seemed particularly small and bedraggled and to be honest very far from threatening, and he felt a rush of protectiveness.  
“I hardly think that four swords are necessary to subdue one unarmed peasant.” He told the knights.

Merlin sneezed again the circle of spring crept out another three feet, bright yellow buttercups and cheerful white daisies erupted around the princes feet.

“He has powerful magic.” Sir Bedivier pointed out.

“Which he is using to grow flowers.” Arthur rolled his eyes. “It’s terrifying.”

Leon put his sword away. Robin and Ewain followed suit but Bedivier only lowered his, keeping it in hand.

Merlin sneezed again and brightly coloured butterflies appeared and fluttered around the startled men.

“Stop that!” Arthur snapped at him.

“I’m not doing anything.” Merlin looked nervously. “Maybe it’s this place? Maybe these old trees are magic?” He tried.

“Nice try but I have been camping here many times a year since I was just a boy and I’ve never seen anything like this happen.” Arthur told him angrily.  
“Also, your eyes glow gold.”

Merlin went pale at this.

“What?” He yelped.

“Just before you sneeze, your eyes glow.” Arthur told him. “So it obviously IS you.” 

Merlin sneezed again making more butterflies appear. Arthur growled in irritation. Sir Robin walked over to the horses and pulled an old grey blanket from his saddlebag. As he walked back he unfolded it and draped it over Merlin’s skinny shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Arthur demanded.

“I thought he might stop sneezing if he wasn’t so cold.” Robin explained with an expression of someone torn between hoping they were doing the right thing but suspecting they are not.

“I don’t care if he stops sneezing, I want him to stop using magic!” Arthur fumed.

Robin stepped away from the servant quickly. Merlin gave Robin a grateful smile and pulled the blanket close around him. 

Bedivier watched this exchange in dismay.

“Have you all been taken under a spell?” He asked looking wide eyed at his companions. “This man is a sorcerer, we must kill him before he has the chance to kill us.” Bedivier implored.

Arthur glared angrily at Merlin, considering Bedivier’s words. It was true that in Camelot the penalty for sorcery was death. But the servant was his friend, and he owed Merlin his life several times over. He needed time to think.

“No.” he told Bedivier, gesturing for him to lower his sword. “We will take him back to Camelot for questioning first.”

Bedivier lowered his sword and nodded, seeing the wisdom of this.

“But what if he uses his magic to kill us on the way back to Camelot?” The suspicious knight asked. 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Merlin implored him.

Arthur sighed and frowned at his servant, considering him. But before he could do or say anything behind him grabbed his attention. A ring of men had quietly entered the clearing and now surrounded the small group.  
“Well, this is an odd sight.” A tall bald man, with a thick beard and broken teeth, laughed as he advanced on them. He had his sword drawn. All the strangers did, there was 12 of them and they were all large, aggressive looking men.

“What do you want?” Arthur demanded, drawing his sword and turning to the new threat.

The newcomer’s gaze flicked around the small patch of spring Merlin had created. Taking in the knights and Merlin.

“We will be taking everything you have.” The bandit grinned. “Including your horses.” He pointed his sword at Arthur. “And your lives.”

And just like that they were in a fierce battle.

Merlin was stunned for a moment. He had gone from regular day, to being discovered as a sorcerer, to under attack by bandits in such rapid succession he was temporarily dazed. Then he saw Arthur, locked into battle with three men at once and was triggered into action. With a flash of his eyes all three men at the Prince were thrown across the clearing and landed with a wet thump. Merlin spun and the three men battling Sir Ewain met with a similar fate.

Two men were fighting Leon, he had just defeated one with a sword to the chest and Arthur was running to help with the second so Merlin turned to Sir Bedevier, he was engaged in a fight with two men, one stabbed him straight through the heart just as Merlin turned to his aid. 

With a yelp of fury Merlin picked up the two men with his magic and heaved them up to the top of the massive oak tree. He left them there, stranded in the canopy. The bandits who remained conscious chose this moment to retreat. They melted back into the mist and rain, escaping with the horses.

Arthur cursed and made to run after them. But a yell from Sir Leon drove him back.

“Sire, they outnumber us.” Leon implored him. “And we have wounded men.”

Merlin was kneeling by Sir Bedivier. “He’s dead.” He said looking up at the prince morosely. His face was pale and expression stricken. 

Ewain was crouched by Robin, trying to stem the bleeding of a wound to Robin’s abdomen. The young knight was moaning in pain and barely conscious. Leon ran over to his friend. He lifted Robin’s chain mail and gambeson to assess the damage.

The wound was deep and bleeding freely. He also had a smaller bleeding head wound. Leon looked over to Merlin.

“Can you help him?” He implored the servant. Momentarily forgetting the magic, he was referring to Merlin’s training in everyday healing. Gaius insisted on Merlin learning his art and the boy had picked up a lot in his time with the old physician. He often treated injuries and small illnesses that cropped up on patrol. 

Merlin knelt by the wounded knight and examined the wounds unhappily. They were bad, maybe beyond his ability to heal.

“I can stitch them so he will stop losing blood, but if any of his organs are damaged there will be nothing I can do, and he will be prone to infection.” Merlin told them retrieving a small, sealed leather packet from inside his jacket. It contained a needle and some dried, stretched catgut. Gaius insisted on the use of catgut instead of silk, it may seem more disgusting but for some reason was less prone to infection. 

Merlin poured some of the raw spirits over the wound, his hands and the needle. Robin writhed in agony as the spirits hit the open cut. 

“hold him still.” Merlin demanded. He began stitching the abdomen wound first. It always amazed him how much wounds shrunk as you stitched them. The cut was a great gaping hole, the size of an apple, but with each stitch halved in size until all that remained was a thin line, as long as a sword was thick. 

Sir Leon tore strips from his cloak and bound the wound carefully while Merlin worked on the head wound. When he was done he examined sir Robin carefully. Peeling back his eyelid to check his pupil response and feeling his pulse. Merlin sighed unhappily at what he found. The pulse was low and thready, Robin felt cold, he was in shock.

“He is very weak, if he gets an infection, which is likely, he will die.” 

“We will have to make sure he doesn’t get an infection then.” Arthur said firmly.   
“Ewain, go and gather branches to create a litter for Robin.” Arthur told the knight. Make Robin as comfortable as you can for the journey home, also watch Merlin, make sure he doesn’t run away.” Merlin gave a squeak of protest that caught in his throat and started a coughing fit, Arthur ignored him and carried on. “I will search the men we killed for anything that will help us get home, or give us clues to who they were, why they attacked.”

With that the prince dashed off. Leon glanced up at him as he left then went back to Robin. He pulled the young knights cloak from around his shoulders to use in making the litter. Ewain jogged back with some long, thick branches. The two of them began constructing a simple frame for the cloak. Merlin was fussing around Robin, doing his best to treat the young man with what little was available to him. Fortunately, some of the flowers he had accidentally grown before were meadow sweet, used to treat pain and fever. He ground them into a thin paste with two rocks and helped the knight swallow it with some water. 

“Can’t you heal him with magic?” Sir Ewain asked him as they worked. Leon looked up, but said nothing.

“I wish I was able to.” Merlin said hesitantly. “But I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Arthur asked, appearing suddenly beside him. Merlin jumped and started coughing again.

“Take it easy.” Arthur told him, irritably thumping him on the back. “I just want to know. Can you heal him if I allow it?”

Merlin swallowed hard to get his coughing under control and glared at the prince. “If I could do it I would whether you allowed it or not.” Merlin snapped.

“Well how should I know what you would or wouldn’t do?” Arthur fumed. “All this time I thought I knew you but you’ve been deceiving us all.” He spun away from Merlin and seeing that Leon and Ewain had finished getting Robin ready for travel turned to the cooling body of Sir Bedivier.

“We won’t have time to bury you my friend.” He told the fallen man as he arranged the body into a more comfortable looking position. AS if he were merely lying in the spring grass to rest. The prince ripped up handfuls of daffodils and buttercups to cover the bloodstains on his chest. He took the knights sword, to give his family. “I’m sorry we have to leave you to the wolves.” He stood up and walked back to the men.

Merlin was just standing there looking pale and lost in the mud. The other two knights looked nervously between the servant and the prince, the moment was made somewhat more awkward by the distant yells of the bandits from the canopy above.

“It will take us at least two days to walk home to Camelot, maybe three in this weather and carrying Sir Robin. We will need to leave now and travel as long as the light holds. We must get him back to Gaius for treatment as quickly as possible if he is to have a chance.” The Prince said as he walked back over.

“I can carry him.” Merlin said softly.

“No you can’t.” Arthur snapped at him.

“With my magic I mean, I could float him, we will be faster that way.” 

“Oh and what happens if you sneeze again? Will he get thrown over the mountains? Turn in to a bunch of flowers?”

Merlin blushed and shrugged helplessly. 

Arthur gave him a knowing look and stomped over to him.

“Hold out your arms.” He snapped. Merlin held his arms out to his sides like a confused bird about to take off. 

“In front of you.” Arthur told him irritably. He grabbed Merlin’s arms and bound them together at the wrists. Then took the long end of the rope so he could pull Merlin along. 

“I’m coming willingly Arthur, you don’t have to do this.” Merlin told him, sounding hurt.

Arthur grunted in response. They moved as quickly as possible along the forest path, knowing that it was important to put distance between them and their attackers, if the bandits came back with reinforcements they would be in trouble.   
They clambered through a section of forest that was quite steep and slippery so they had to concentrate to keep their footing, Arthur didn’t notice the rain at first. Or rather, the lack of rain, which was odd because it was definitely still raining. Arthur could hear the rain pounding all around them, he could see it falling, thicker than before, actual pounding heavy drops. Only it wasn’t hitting him, his clothes were actually steaming with body heat and beginning to dry. 

Suspicious Arthur looked over at Merlin, who was trudging along sulkily, covered in mud because he had tripped many times and with his arms bound was unable to prevent himself from falling over. His eyes were glowing very faintly golden so he was clearly using magic.

“What are you doing?” Arthur grit at him, giving the rope a yank to get Merlin’s attention. This pulled Merlin off balance and he fell in the mud again.

“Arthur!” He squeaked in annoyance. “I’m covered in enough mud without your help.” He sneezed twice as he sat there in the mud, prompting a rich patch of wildflowers to bloom around him.

“Are you using magic?”

“Not on purpose.” Merlin pouted at the wild flowers.

“Oh so you have nothing to do with the way that although it’s bucketing down, we are not getting wet?”

Merlin gulped and nodded slightly. He looked like a puppy that had fallen in a river, all covered in mud and shivering with cold. He still had the blanket Robin had given him, tied around his shoulders like a cape.   
“I’m just trying to help.” He said miserably. 

“Well stop it.” Arthur snapped.

“Please Arthur.” Merlin whined. “I’m just shielding us from the rain. It will help Sir Robin survive.” He reasoned, giving Arthur such an earnest look he wanted to punch him.

“Fine.” He ground out, and they carried on.

Even though he wasn’t getting rained on anymore Merlin was having a hard time getting dry. The day was cold and he kept falling in the mud. He wondered if he could use a small spell to dry his clothes, he had only recently learnt one. He muttered the incantation under his breath, but nothing happened. Merlin was still thinking about the spell when his nose itched again and he sneezed heavily. A rush of warm air whirled around the group, fluttering through their clothing and ruffling their hair. In a moment it was gone, leaving them all dry.

“Merlin!” Arthur snapped at him.

“I’m sorry I can’t help it.” Merlin protested. “My magic goes cra....hhhh..cra..hhuh..zy when ...sniff... I sne...atchoo!” 

As he sneezed the rope around Merlin’s wrist turned into a pine marten and leapt up onto his shoulders where it regarded the knights with prick eared curiosity.

“Sorry.” Merlin said sniffling. 

“How does it work?” Sir Ewain asked before Arthur had found the words to yell at Merlin.

“Do you create these things? Or just make them appear here from somewhere else?”

Merlin shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know, it’s not like I ever got any of this explained to me.” He sneezed again and the martin grew wings like as eagle. It leaped off Merlin’s shoulders and flew away chittering.

“What about the person who taught you?” Ewain asked.

“No one taught me, I was borne with magic.” Merlin told him sniffling thickly. “My mother said I was making objects fly around before I could walk.”

“And your mother doesn’t have magic?”

“No not at all.”

“What about your father?”

Merlin sneezed again growing more spring around himself. “I don’t know, I never knew him.” 

“Merlin you know you’re leaving a great glaring trail for those bandits to follow.” Arthur complained. 

“I have a cold.” Merlin shrugged at him. “It’s not like I’m doing it for fun.”

“How have you not been caught before?” Arthur marveled. “Does this happen every time you catch cold?” He tried to remember if he’d noticed Merlin with a cold before.

“No, this is strange.” Merlin agreed. “I’m hoping it goes away when the cold does. Assuming I live long enough for that.” Merlin finished softly. He was trying to stay calm but was terrified about what Arthur was planning.

Arthur’s expression softened a little when he heard this.

“I’m not going to kill you Merlin.” He sighed.

“What are you going to do?” 

“I’m going to let you have a fair trial.”

Merlin sighed. “A fair trial to see if I have magic? I think this time I’ll lose.”

“Well...”

“And what’s the punishment for having magic?” Merlin continued in a strained tone. “Oh yeah... it’s death.”

“Merlin...”

“You may as well kill me.”

“Merlin!” Arthur glared at him. “I’m not letting anyone kill you, and stop acting like you did nothing wrong. You have, you’ve been lying to me!”

Merlin fell into a mulish silence. They trudged on for a while without saying anything. 

“Telling you could mean being killed, I think it’s understandable really.” Merlin grumbled after a few heavy moments of silence.

Arthur glared at him but said nothing. He had made no attempt to bind Merlin again. 

“What will you do sire?” Leon asked respectfully.

“I will tell my father all the circumstances involved and let him make his judgement, that is the law.” Arthur told the knight.

Leon nodded but didn’t comment. 

“How can you think that will end any other way than me burning to death?” Merlin asked, irritated. 

“My father won’t kill you, you’re clearly not evil, just, misguided.”

Merlin rolled his eyes at this.

“It is possible he will banish you.” Arthur continued. “But maybe I can convince him to offer you the same ultimatum he gave Gaius. Never practice magic again and you will be pardoned.”

Merlin shook his head sadly. “Can’t we just keep it a secret?” He pleaded.

Arthur's face closed off at this. “What you’re asking is treason.”

“Why don’t you run?” Ewain asked, unable to control his curiosity. It seemed like what he’d do in Merlin’s shoes.   
“You could use magic to escape.” He pointed out.

“I can’t leave you, what if the bandit’s come back? Merlin pointed out. “And Sir Robin may need my help.”

The group fell into silence that stretched on the next few hours. Merlin slumped as he trudged along. They now each carried a corner of Robin’s litter, it got heavier and heavier as the afternoon wore on.

Merlin’s feet were numb to half way up his lanky shins. He was exhausted, his head pounded and his throat stung. But more than anything he was deeply worried and upset. He was loath to think what would happen when they returned to the city. He stumbled on the uneven forest floor and nearly pulled everyone down with him.

“Sorry.” He croaked, his voice was getting hoarse. 

“We should stop here anyway.” Arthur decided. “It’s almost dark and we don’t want to get lost or fall.”

They settled Sir Robin on the ground. Merlin gathered some wood and started a fire with muttered spell, barely noticing as the knights jumped a little when the flames suddenly roared to life. He was worried about Sir Robin. He had been checking on him throughout the day but there was little he could do for the man. He was keeping him asleep with a spell, not wanting the young man to suffer unnecessary pain. And he fed him water frequently, trying to help his body replace the blood he lost. Gaius had taught him that a person who had lost blood needed a lot of water.

Robin was cold and pale, but his wounds had stopped bleeding and there was no distention of his stomach that could mean an internal bleed. Stomach wounds were tricky, if the blade had so much as nicked his stomach or intestines, the young man would likely die. He felt relieved though that so far he could detect no fever.

“We should keep him warm.” Merlin told the others. “The best way will be for us to all pile together, to share body heat.” They had no food to eat so Merlin saw no point in staying awake. He shamelessly curled up next to Sir Robin, pulling his tattered blanket to cover both of them as best he could.

Arthur looked at his servant, cuddled up to the injured knight. They both looked so bedraggled and young it tore at his heart. He hated to think that either of them might die. Robin from his wound, and Merlin from his father.

“Get some rest.” He told Ewain. “I’ll take the first watch.”

Ewain lay at Robin’s other side, copying Merlin by draping his cloak over Robin and himself to share body heat.

Arthur hear Merlin whisper something to Ewain, though he couldn’t make out what Merlin said, he heard Ewain chuckle in response. 

Leon didn’t go to sleep straight away. He sat with Arthur at the fire. Arthur got the impression he wanted to talk. They sat quietly until they heard Ewain and Merlin’s breathing even out into sleep. 

“What is it you want to say?” Arthur asked his old friend.

“I was just thinking about that druid child, the one you helped escape. I never said so because I wasn’t meant to know it was you. But I was proud of you when I heard the rumor. I thought it showed great kindness to go against your fathers wishes to save an innocent child.” Leon explained.

“Merlin is hardly an innocent child.” Arthur huffed.

“Yes he is, look at him.” 

Arthur did look at the pile of his sleeping friends. He could just make out Merlin’s face in the flickering light of the campfire. It was true he did look young and innocent in sleep. And Leon was right, Merlin was an innocent soul, he was young and foolish and sweet, Arthur could not view him as evil even if he tried.

“You think I should lie to my father?” Arthur asked eventually. “Keep Merlin on knowing he has magic, right under my fathers nose?”

Leon shook his head.  
“I don’t know but I do know that Merlin is right. If he stands trial he will be sentenced to death.”

“I could send him away.” Arthur said after a while. “It’s probably the best thing to do.”

“You would miss him.” Leon pointed out.

Arthur scoffed. But Leon just held his gaze evenly as he made out to be outraged and offended.

“Fine.” Arthur sighed eventually. “I don’t want him to leave.”

Leon smiled.

“But what can I do? I can’t let the idiot wander around Camelot casting spells accidentally whenever he catches cold. If I let him stay and he is caught it will be all my fault.”

“Well he has gone almost a year without getting caught. You should talk to Gaius about it when we return, he probably knows about Merlin. At any rate, you should sleep on it, get some rest, I’ll take first watch.” He clapped the young prince on the shoulder and 

Arthur nodded and crept over to his sleeping companions. He lay down next to Merlin and carefully pulled his cloak over the both of them. Merlin didn’t wake up. He continued to snore like a dying pig. Arthur smiled fondly in the dark. He was angry with Merlin for lying but if he was honest he did understand. Thinking back over the time he had known Merlin the magic made sense. For one thing Merlin was way too mouthy and confident for a peasant. And he put himself into dangerous situations fearlessly. The magic went a long way to explaining this. 

It also explained some of the good luck Arthur had experienced since knowing Merlin. Arthur had at times wondered if he had a guardian angel looking over him, now he wondered if it wasn’t perhaps a guardian servant. Merlin coughed and snuffled in his sleep. Arthur edged closer to him to give him more warmth and he settled, his breathing evening back to his usual snore. 

Arthur fell asleep right away, he was physically and mentally worn out. It seemed like only minutes later that Leon woke him up for his watch. He gathered more firewood and built up the flames. He sat with his back to the fire, listening to the sounds of the night. There was no way he would see any danger approaching, the moon was new and only offered a faint slither of light. Even that was blocked by the thick clouds. At least anyone following them would find it difficult to sneak around in the darkness. 

Arthur thought about Merlin and his magic. The day they had met for example, he remembered thinking how odd Merlin was back then, how there was something so fascinating about him. He had never met someone with so much spunk. Peasants normally cowered before him like whipped dogs. Later when he ha found out Merlin was from a remote village Arthur assumed it was his ignorance to court law that made him so absurdly confident. That he had never learnt his place. But after visiting Merlin’s village Arthur found that no one else in Ealdor. The Peasants in the village clearly did not know exactly how they should behave around him but they unquestioningly respected his authority.  
, except for maybe Merlin’s friend Will, shared Merlin’s lack of respect to nobility.  
The magic seemed an obvious explanation. Sure he may be just a peasant, but he could throw a man several yards into the air with a wave of his hand, that would have to give a person confidence. 

After a few hours, feeling he could no longer stay alert enough to keep watch Arthur shook Sir Ewain awake. Arthur curled back up next to Merlin. But he must have woken him because he heard him shuffle around, sniffling and coughing quietly.

“Go back to sleep, everything is fine.” Arthur whispered to him. 

Merlin sat up and yawned.

“I should check on Sir Robin.” He told Arthur. His voice was rough and an octave lower than normal. He whispered a spell that produced a small glowing ball of light to appear, illuminating his pale face. Merlin felt Robin’s forehead, testing for fever, he was warm but not as bad off as Merlin had feared. 

Palpitating around the wound in his stomach Merlin was pleased not to find any hardness beyond the muscle strength. A swollen, rigid stomach was the last stage before death after a wound to the stomach itself had occurred. It seemed they had been lucky, if an organ had been damaged sir Robin would surely have been dead by now. He sighed in relief but this made him cough. He turned away from Sir Robin as much as possible and muffled his coughing into his shoulder.

“How is he?” Arthur whispered.

“Better than I had hoped.” Merlin whispered back. “I’m going to wake him briefly to give him some water. 

Merlin broke his sleeping enchantment on the young knight and gently shook him awake. Sir Robin moaned in pain as soon as he was conscious. Merlin shushed him soothingly. 

“It’s alright, can you sit up and drink?” He coaxed Robin to lift his head a little so that he could swallow, and slowly fed him water from a skin.

Robin whimpered in pain as the action of drinking moved his abdominal muscles. But he drank the water gladly.

“How do you feel?” Merlin asked him.

“Hu..rts...” he whimpered. 

“I know, I’m so sorry.” 

Robin made a few more strained attempts to speak, he was clearly in agony though so Merlin eased him back down to sleep. 

“Don’t worry about anything, you just rest, we’ll be home before you know it.” He whispered the sleeping spell and his eyes flashed gold. Sir Robin went still and quiet, his breathing soft and even. Merlin settled back down between Robin and Arthur. Leon had not even stirred at robin’s other side.

“You think he will survive the trip home?” Arthur asked quietly. Merlin had let his small light go out, but Arthur could just make out his face in the light of the camp fire. The shadows on his face making his eyes look huge and his cheeks look hollow. 

“It seems that only his skin and muscles are injured, and they can heal. I don’t know why but some parts of the body don’t heal if they are injured.” Merlin yawned widely through the last words.

They fell silent and Arthur had almost drifted back to sleep when he heard Merlin sneeze and it snapped him back awake. It took a second for his sleep fogged brain to work out what the noise was and that there was no threat. He had almost drifted off a second time, but Merlin sneezed again, this time more quietly but Arthur also felt his body shudder. By the third time he was trying hard not to get irritated. He knew Merlin wasn’t doing it on purpose, but he was so tired.

There was a window of silence and Arthur was actually beginning to dream, then Merlin sneezed rapidly 3 times and snapped him back into reality. He was clearly trying not to sneeze, muffling them to the point of near silence. But he was only a few inches from Arthur and their bodies were pressed together for warmth, so no matter how quiet he was Arthur would feel his muscles tense involuntarily. There was also a soft rustling a vegetation growing after each sneeze.

“Bless you.” Arthur said in a tone that actually said “shut up now.”

“Sorry.” But he couldn’t stop sneezing. After about another hour of Merlin sneezing and sniffling Arthur lost patients.

“Merlin!” He snapped.

“I’m sorry alright.” Merlin did sound contrite. He also sounded exhausted and so stuffy it muffled his speech. “I want to sleep as much as you do.”

The wind picked up and blew a sudden gust of chilled wind across the sleeping men. Merlin and Arthur shivered and huddled closer. Merlin had another muffled sneezing fit.

“I could enchant you.” Merlin offered, sniffling.

“No.”

“To sleep I mean.” Merlin clarified and sneezed another few times. 

“I don’t care, you’re not enchanting me.”

“I did it to Sir Robbin and he’s fine.”

“Enchant yourself if you’re so confident. Then I will get to sleep as well.”

Merlin was silent for a moment.

“Did you do it?”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.” Merlin rasped.

“No?”

“I’ve been tempted to do it a few times when I was really tiered but couldn’t sleep, bud I get scared I’ll never wake up again.” Merlin admitted. “And there will be no one about that could break the enchantment.”

Arthur considered this frowning in the dark.

“That would be unfortunate.” Arthur agreed, imagining having to drag a magically unconscious Merlin back to Camelot as well as Robin.

They lay there for a while but Merlin kept sneezing and coughing, eventually he gave up and sighing eased his way out from between Arthur and Robin.

“Sir Ewain you get some rest I’ll keep watch. I’m just going to lay here awake all night anyway so you may as well get some sleep.” He told the knight stuffily, sniffling and coughing into his fist.

“You should try and rest Merlin, That sounds like a nasty cold you’ve got.” Ewain told him concerned. But Merlin was insistent and Ewain was tired and soon agreed. With Merlin sitting away at the campfire Arthur and Ewain slept easily. At least now he was close to the fire. 

Merlin woke the next morning to Arthur shaking him roughly. As soon as he opened his eyes he moaned in discomfort. He had fallen asleep slumped next to the fire and limbs folded awkwardly, the fire was just low embers and he was cold and stiff and achy. Light seemed to pierce his head like knives.

“Well you wouldn’t feel so bad if you had slept next to us like a sensible person.” Arthur scolded him. 

Merlin made a congested, wheezy noise that was probably meant to communicate disagreement. 

He felt like he had a pint of fluid in his head and when he sat up it sloshed around and made him feel dizzy. He rubbed his eyes and looked around in wonder. The campsite was an extravagant glove of growth. All around them was an abundance of fresh green leaves, bright, beautiful flowers, mushrooms and humming buzzing insects. Birds chattered and swooped joyfully around. 

“Well...” Merlin said timidly. 

“Yeah you really need to rein this in before we get back to Camelot.” Arthur told him.

Ewain was gathering breakfast from some wild plum trees that were laden with hundreds of tiny red fruits. Leon was gathering wild blackberries and mushrooms.

“Are these safe to eat?” he asked Merlin as he lay out the pile of berries to share. “They aren’t cursed or anything?” 

Merlin shrugged but ate a few berries, they seemed fine to him even though they stung his throat. They all soon ate a bunch, having not eaten since the mushroom at lunch the previous day they were all ravenous. 

Merlin sat by Robin and woke him to eat. The young knight was weak and still in a lot of pain. Merlin was only able to rouse him to semi conscious, enough to swallow some plum mush and drink more water, but not really coherent or aware. His face was flushed and sweaty. 

“He’s running a fever.” Merlin told them unhappily. His voice was a raw whisper. 

“I thought you were confident he would survive.” Arthur frowned.

“No I’m confident he hasn’t damaged ad organ.” Merlin rasped back. “But the wound is infected, he needs Gaius.” Merlin turned away from Robin and hacked wetly into the crook of his arm.

“So do you by the sounds of it.” Ewain remarked. Merlin brushed him off but the knights were all a little concerned about the servant. He looked and sounded much worse than the day before.

They didn’t linger long. Soon they were trudging along again with Robin on the litter. Outside the patch of spring Merlin had created the day was cold and bleak. The wind was buffeted at them constantly, so strong it threatened to unbalance them at times and so cold it chilled them almost as much as the rain. The sky was heavy and threatening.

Merlin was quickly banned from helping to carry the litter. He was clumsy at the best of times but with a bad cold he was more of a hindrance than a help. Every time he sneezed he almost upset the litter, and he was still sneezing a lot. If anything they were getting worse, snapping him over at the waist and leaving him breathless and wheezing. The plants around him bloomed ecstatically at the magic that seemed to leak out whenever it happened. Leaving a merry trail of greenery behind them. 

“I hope we don’t run into a patrol.” Leon worried after Merlin caused a grove of willows to fill with bright catkins with a brief, congested fit of sneezes. 

Merlin groaned exasperated. He tried to say something in answer but all that came out was series of croaks and congested sounds.

“Losing your voice?” Arthur smirked.

Merlin glowered at him.

They made good progress but despite being tired and hungry. Preoccupied as they were with carrying their wounded comrade they didn’t notice any threat until it was too late.

An arrow whizzed out from the tree line and hit Sir Leon in the arm. He cried out in pain but did not drop the litter. Several more arrows flew but instead of finding a mark they seemed to hit a barrier. Merlin was holding an arm out, his eyes filled with gold. The knights quickly formed a rough circle with their backs to sir Robin in the center. Merlin muttered a spell and a shimmering golden bubble formed around them.

“I’m really pleased that worked.” He croaked. “I never had a chance to try it.” 

Another arrow shot from a hidden archer bounced of the barrier Merlin had created. The barrier shimmered faintly gold, barely visible, except for the point the arrow struck, which flashed bright gold on impact.

Merlin ran over to Sir Leon and examined the arrow wound. His chain mail had slowed the arrow down enough that it had not torn into the flesh past the backward facing barbs. This allowed Merlin to remove the arrow easily. He quickly bound the wound with strips of Leon’s cloak.

“You’re lucky.” He told the knight. “It’s not too bad.”

Arthur felt lightheaded with the stress of things happening so quickly. One minute his manservant is a clumsy fool, a fool with uncanny moments of wisdom, and a knack for working out what’s going on before everyone else, and... so maybe not a fool, but just a normal peasant. The next moment he has magic, apparently quite a lot. Now he is shielding them with some odd gold magic barrier. Arthur went to demand Merlin explain what it was and how it worked but saw he was busy helping Leon. He felt a burst of shame at his anger. 

“How long can you keep the barrier in place?” Arthur asked him.

Merlin shrugged and finished tightening the makeshift bandage on Sir Leon’s arm.   
“I’m not sure.” He admitted. 

“We should try and get as far as we can before it fails.” Arthur reasoned. He and Ewain picked up the litter again, waving away Sir Leon when he tried to help. The moved on as quickly as possible, hobbled as they were with injuries, hoping to put some distance between them and the attackers. 

For the next hour or so they moved at a quick march. Then Arthur noticed Merlin was lagging. He had fallen behind a few paces and was swaying dangerously.

“Let’s take a brake.” Arthur commanded and they lay Sir Robin down carefully. Merlin stumbled over and sat down with them by simply letting his legs collapse under him.

“Are you all right?” Ewain asked concerned.

Merlin shook his head and coughed until tears rolled down his cheeks from the effort. The barrier shimmered desperately but held. 

“There have been no more arrows, maybe it’s safe to drop the barrier?” Arthur told him. But Merlin shook his head stubbornly.

“I’ll leave it up until we get closer Camelot.” He told the prince. His voice was barely coherent with congestion and huskiness. 

“Are you sure? It seems to be tiring you.” Arthur pressed.

Merlin nodded, then doubled over sneezing harshly. When he did the barrier flashed bright gold then snapped back to normal. The vegetation around them exploded with growth. Vines shot up round the barrier creating a cage of sorts. 

Merlin sneezed several more times, the trees around them shot up into the sky, doubling in height, pushing out more and more bright leaves.   
Merlin shivered hard.

“I’m so cold.” He mumbled. 

He felt so drained he could barely keep his eyes open. He sneezed again and the barrier exploded outwards. It made no sound itself but the blast flattened all the surrounding vegetation. Cutting the vines Merlin had just created into ribbons and gouging great rents into the massive trunks of the magically enhanced trees. 

Merlin made a soft, confused sound then collapsed. 

Arthur ran over to the fallen man and checked him over. Merlin was horribly pale and dark, bruise-like crescents under his eyes showed starkly against his white skin. The prince brushed his fingers against Merlin’s forehead. His manservant’s skin was warm with fever. 

“Come on Merlin, wake up.” Arthur pleaded, shaking his friend gently. “Please don’t make us lug you along as well.”

But the warlock remained firmly asleep. Leon looked around at the now eerily silent forest, worried about more stray arrows.

“We have to move on sire.” He urged his prince.

There was nothing for it but to load Merlin onto the litter with Sir Robin. Merlin immediately burrowed in to Robin’s warmth. Robin stirred and moaned in pain, he snuggled into Merlin’s feverish warmth as well.

“I hope the enchantment keeping him asleep won’t break now that Merlin is out.” Ewain worried, they had no means of managing Robin’s pain if he did wake up.

Arthur and Ewain struggled along under the two men’s weight. They had to move much slower and take more regular breaks. Arthur was no longer confident they would make it back to Camelot in time to save Sir Robin. He could tell from Leon’s tight expression he was having similar fears.

“Sire, let me help.” He offered after Arthur staggered at one point in the path.

“No Leon, you are wounded.” 

“It’s not bad. And you and Ewain will just exhaust yourself if you go on like this.” Leon insisted.

“Alright, we will take a break first.” They carefully laid their burden down. Robin was stirring restlessly, moaning a bit in his sleep. Merlin was so still and pale he looked dead. Arthur felt his forehead and was almost relieved to feel the feverish heat, at least he was alive. 

“Do you hear horses?” Ewain asked suddenly. They all listened, the distant thump of hooves could now be hear by all. 

“It may be another patrol, we are close to Camelot now.” Leon said hopefully.

“Or it could be the bandits...” Ewain said unhappily.

They lay down their sleeping friends and waited for the horses to approach with pounding hearts. If it was the bandits they would have to fight, and likely die. 

But luckily it was a Camelot patrol, looking very surprised to see Arthur and the knights in the state they were in. They quickly loaded the wounded and exhausted men onto horses and got them back to Camelot as quickly as possible. 

The ride back was tense. Arthur explained what had happened with the bandits briefly, leaving out the magic. He had been calm and commanding as he relayed the story but then the head of the new patrol had suggested dispatching a larger force to search them out as soon as possible. Arthur floundered, if a large patrol followed their trail back they would see the unseasonable growth and that lead to questions. They would need to get their story straight. Leon, Robin and Merlin would be sent straight to Gaius for medical attention, but Arthur and Ewain would be expected to go directly to Uther to report what had happened. 

Arthur felt torn between being incredibly relieved that merlin was currently unconscious and therefore not using magic by accident, and desperate for Merlin to wake up and say something so he knew he was alright. At the moment he was slumped bonelessly against Sir Tristan, a knight who had trained with Arthur and could be trusted to know that although Merlin was a peasant he belonged to Arthur and therefore must be treated as a person rather than luggage. 

Arthur couldn’t bare to think any further forward than the debrief with his father. After that he would need to look in to what to do about Merlin. And that was way too much to deal with while he was this cold and tired and stressed. Was Merlin safe in camelot, could he even stay with Gaius while he recovered. The risk of being caught in his current state were high. Would flowers start growing inside the castle? No, best not to think about it.

They arrived back at the castle gates and were whisked off their separate ways immediately. Leon, Robin and Merlin were taken straight to the physician. Sir Robin was laid out carefully in the patient bed, and Gaius directed a second cot the bed unfolded and made up for Merlin. 

Gaius forced himself to be a good physician and treat Robin first as he was the worst injured. Although it pained him to do no more than give Merlin a brief look over to check he was stable and in no imminent danger of death. 

“What happened?” Gaius asked sir Leon as he examined Robin. 

“We were attacked by bandits, Robin took a sword to the stomach, Merlin treated him as best he could.”

Gaius nodded as he looked at the wound. “He did well in that case. The infection was more or less inevitable but I should be able to get it under control.” The old man cleaned the wound and smeared on some healing balm then wrapped it in clean linen strips. 

“And what happened to Merlin? Was he wounded?” Gauis inquired as he finished treating Robin and moved on to Sir Leon’s arm. He figured he should follow protocol and treat both knights before his ward, several of the patrol that had helped bring the wounded men in were still milling around, setting up wood for the fire and bring water and being generally helpful. They seemed to be making Leon nervous though he couldn’t understand why.

“No he fell ill, and he is exhausted, I think from the journey.” Leon told him, flinching as Gauis cleaned his wound.

“I’m fine Gaius, it’s really not so bad.” Leon pushed Gaius gently away as he began to bandage. “Go see to Merlin, I know you are worried.”

“He is prone to finding trouble.” Gaius sighed in agreement and moved over to the boy. 

“You may all go.” Leon told the other knights firmly. Gaius looked up in surprise. The other knights just shuffled off without question. 

Gaius examined Merlin more carefully, feeling his forehead and tutting, laying his head on the boy’s chest to listen to his breathing, and feeling the glands along his neck. 

“What symptoms has he had?” Gaius asked Leon.

“He has been sneezing and coughing, and he collapsed in the woods, while we where running from the bandits.”

Gaius nodded. “He seems to just have a bad cold, but he is beyond exhausted, this will make it harder for his body to fight the illness.” Gaius sighed. “I need to get you all clean and dry and warm.” 

As if this was her cue Gwen burst into the room. 

“Gaius, Morgana has given me leave to help you with the wounded. I heard that Merlin was one of the men injured.” She said breathlessly, like she had run there.

“Gwen, I’m so glad you’re here.” Gaius smiled at her. “Please can you heat some water and help me get these three clean and dry. It is very important to their health.”

Leon blustered about not needing help so Gwen just rushed off and got him a change of clothes a bucket of hot water, and let him see to himself in Merlin’s room for privacy. She boiled more water for the other two. They carefully cleaned and changed Sir Robin into warm dry clothes and tucked him into bed. It was a 2 person job as he was still unconscious. They worked quickly and moved on to Merlin.

To their relief they were able to rouse him into a sluggish, barely responsive state that made him a bit easier to maneuver than Robin. 

Merlin was muddy and chilled but he had no injuries Gaius could find. When he was dressed warmly Gaius asked Gwen to sit him up and try and wake him enough to drink some medicine. Gaius clicked around with glass vials. Trying to decide the best course for treatment. Gwen pulled Merlin back up so he was sitting against the wall. Merlin coughed and his eyes peeled open reluctantly. They only made it half way. He groaned and shivered, huddling further into his blankets. Gwen gently pulled him back out.

“Just stay awake a moment Merlin, Gaius has some medicine for you.” She told him gently. 

“Gwen?” Merlin asked, blinking at her sleepy and confused. His voice was barely audible. Before she could say whatever sweet, comforting thing she was probably going to say Merlin sneezed. His eyes flashed gold as his breath hitched then he quickly turned away from Gwen as he sneezed. The air around himself and Gwen erupted with tiny, rose gold butterflies.

Gwen gasped and stood up quickly, scraping the chair she had been sitting on loudly across the floor. Gaius also started and dropped the vile he was holding to smash on the hard stone floor. Sir Leon came bursting out of Merlin’s room, now fully washed but without a shirt. He had been struggling to pull it on with his injured arm. He hurried out at the commotion in time to see Gaius and Gwen staring at Merlin in horror, the room was full of bright, softly glowing butterflies. Merlin sneezed again and fireflies appeared, swirling around with the butterflies and glowing with soft green light. 

“Latch the door.” Leon said to a very stunned Gwen. “No one must come in here.”

Gwen quickly did as directed without a word. Her eyes flicked nervously from her friend to the flying insects, to Gaius, to Leon.

“I was hoping he wouldn’t wake up until after I had spoken to you.” Leon told Gaius.

The old physician looked stricken, he was in terror for the boy he had come to love as a son. 

“It’s alright Gaius.” Leon reassured him. “Merlin may have magic, but he saved my life, I trust him, I’m sure Robin and Ewain feel the same way, and Arthur of course.”

“Arthur knows?” Gaius croaked in terror, despite Leon’s reassuring tone his heart was pounding with fear. Arthur was with the king right now, what if he was turning Merlin in.

“I have to get him out of Camelot.” Gaius said shakily.

“Gaius.” Gwen placed her small, strong hand on his age speckled hand. “We will help him, you can count on us.” She smiled at him.   
Gwen had known sir Leon all her life, and he was a knight of the realm, if he trusted Merlin then she knew she could. Besides which, she knew she could trust Merlin. She had known Merlin was a good person form the moment she met him. It didn’t, if she really thought about it, seem that odd that he had magic, it almost felt like she had known. 

“First you should probably try and find out what’s wrong with him.” Leon pointed out. “He can hardly sneak out of the castle like this if it comes to it.”

“Yes, that is a good idea.” Gaius shuffled off to look through a pile of old books. 

“Can you tell me anything else about what happened Sir Leon?” Gaius asked as he rustled through pages.

Sir Leon explained about the magical growth Merlin caused in the forest.

“He said this has never happened to him before.” Leon remembered.

“No, certainly not in the time that I have known him.” Gaius agreed.

“But you did know about the magic?” Gwen probed.

“Yes, his mother sent him to me in the hopes I could help him learn to control it. He only uses it to help people, to help Arthur.”

“I believe you.” Gwen told him, patting his wizened hand again. She patted Merlin’s hand too, in case he was semi awake. But Merlin slept of oblivious of the worry he was causing his friends. 

“How did the Prince take it?” Gaius asked.

“He was a little angry at first, but it’s hard to stay mad at Merlin, like trying to stay angry with a kitten. And Arthur was certainly very worried about him when he fainted.” Leon said.

“Did he say anything about why this may be happening to him?” Gaius asked. He was looking Merlin over once more, now that he knew of the magic symptoms. Though he wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find.

“No, it seemed just like he was catching a cold, then all the magic stuff started happening.” Leon thought back over the last few days. “He seemed as surprised as the rest of us about what was happening. And he complained about not knowing how magic works, and told us that he never learned how to use magic, he was just born with it.” 

Gaius hummed affirmative but distracted by his examination. 

Gwen and Leon spoke in hushed voices about Merlin and his magic. They were both going through some of the odd things that had happened over the previous year and how a few things made more sense knowing they had a magical friend. 

Gaius alternated between checking on his patients and reading through every book he had about curses and magical ailments. After it became clear they wouldn’t dissipate on their own, Gwen and Leon caught all the butterflies and fireflies in jars. They had just finished when there was a pounding at the door. 

They looked to Gaius to see what to do. Gaius nodded to them, with Merlin asleep he hoped there would be no issues.

The door opened to a tired and annoyed Arthur came in demanding an update. 

“Sire..” Gaius said nervously. “Sir Robin is doing much better, I am confident he will recover.” He hoped Arthur would leave it at that.

The Prince’s eyes fell on the jars of shining, glowing insects.

“Did Merlin cause those things to appear?” He asked with a slight eye roll.

Gwen nodded. “Please don’t be angry with him Arthur.” She began. But Arthur made a dismissive gesture.

“It’s alright Gwen, I’m not.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Wait, you know!”

“I just found out.” She told him hastily. “Though I have to admit, it seems to fit somehow.” 

“I know what you mean.” Arthur agreed looking at the sleeping face of his friend. There had always been something a bit otherworldly about Merlin. 

“How is he Gaius?” Arthur asked.

“Well, he is exhausted and a bit ill, but mainly I am concerned that he has lost control of his magic. I have no idea how to treat it and he will be in danger of being caught if we don’t get it under control soon.”

“Yes it is a problem.” Arthur agreed.

“In the meantime we will have to make sure no one comes near him.” Gaius sighed. “We could say he has a very contagious illness.”

“No then my father will forbid me from going near him.” Arthur dismissed without a though.

Gwen grinned at him mischievously. “Oh and that would be unbearable.” 

Arthur blushed. “I mean... well.. not that I would miss... not because I want to be around him.. just you might need my help...” He settled for glaring daggers at Gwen, she just continued to smile. 

Merlin slept until well into they next morning.


End file.
